Viburnum plant name ‘PIIVIB-I’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Viburnum  plant named ‘PIIVIB-I’, characterized by its compact, mounding growth habit, small, lustrous, dark green, evergreen foliage, white flowers produced in abundance even on young plants, clusters of red fruit that turn black when mature.

Genus and species of plant claimed: Viburnum sp. L.

Variety denomination: ‘PIIVIB-I’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Viburnum, a member of the Adoxaceae family, hereinafter referred to by its cultivar name ‘PIIVIB-I’. This cultivar is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use.

The cultivar originated from an open-pollination of Viburnum ‘Nantucket’ (unpatented) in Watkinsville, Ga., and was selected from the progeny of this pollination by continued evaluation for compact growth habit and improved evergreen leaf and flower characteristics.

‘PIIVIB-I’ has been asexually reproduced by semi-hardwood cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga. since 2006. The characteristics of the cultivar have been stable and reproduced true-to-type in successive vegetative generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘PIIVIB-I’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. In combination these characteristics distinguish ‘PIIVIB-I’ from all other varieties in commerce known to the inventor. 1) Compact, mounding growth habit. 2) Small, lustrous, dark green, evergreen foliage. 3) White flowers produced in abundance even on young plants. 4) Clusters of red fruit that turn black when mature.

‘PIIVIB-I’ is distinguished from its female parent ‘Nantucket’ by its growth habit and foliage. ‘PIIVIB-I’ has a compact, mounding growth habit and small, dark green, evergreen foliage that is lustrous on the upper surface and pubescent on the lower surface, whereas ‘Nantucket’ has a compact, upright growth habit and larger, semi-evergreen foliage that is pubescent on the upper and lower surfaces. There are no other cultivars of Viburnum with this combination of characteristics known to the inventor.

Plants of the new Viburnum can be compared to plants of the cultivar ‘Conoy’ (unpatented), although ‘PIIVIB-I’ is distinguished from ‘Conoy’ by growth habit and foliage and flower characteristics. ‘PIIVIB-I’ has a compact, mounding growth habit, small, dark green, evergreen foliage, and white flowers produced in abundance even on young plants, whereas ‘Conoy’ has a compact, irregular growth habit, smaller, slightly twisted, evergreen foliage, and less abundant, smaller inflorescences.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying illustrations show characteristics of the new cultivar in photographs as true to color as is reasonably possible to make in illustrations of this nature. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Viburnum.

FIG. 1 shows the growth habit of the original five-year-old plant of ‘PIIVIB-I’.

FIG. 2 shows ‘PIIVIB-I’ in flower.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the flowers of ‘PIIVIB-I’.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the foliage and flower buds of ‘PIIVIB-I’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the description were grown in 11.8 L containers in full sun under outdoor conditions in a nursery in Watkinsville, Ga.

-   Botanical classification: ‘PIIVIB-I’ is a cultivar of Viburnum. -   Parentage: The current variety is a progeny from an open-pollination     of Viburnum ‘Nantucket’. -   Propagation: Vegetatively by stem cuttings. -   Time to initiate roots in summer: About 5 to 6 weeks at 32° C. -   Plant description: The claimed variety is a freely branching,     compact, mounding evergreen shrub. The plant is hardy in USDA Zones     6 to 8.     -   -   Root description.—Numerous, fleshy, and well-branched.         -   Plant height.—About 140 cm after five years. Plant width:             about 213 cm after five years.         -   Stems.—First year stems have a diameter of about 3 mm, a             rounded shape, and stellate pubescence. The stem color is             193B, maturing to 144A. Second year stems have a diameter of             about 5 mm and color is 165A.         -   Internode length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Vegetative buds.—Arrangement: opposite. Shape: valvate.             Pubescence: stellate. Size: about 5 mm in length, about 2 mm             in width; Color: 157B on young stems, and 165D on mature             stems. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite. Length: about 5.8 cm. Width: about             2.3 cm.         -   Shape.—Lanceolate to elliptical. Apex: acute. Base: rounded             to oblique. Margin: entire, often undulating.         -   Texture.—Glabrous, lustrous above, stellate pubescence             below.         -   Venation.—Pinnate. Venation color: 147A.         -   Color of emerging leaves.—144A on the upper surface, and             193B on the lower surface. Color of mature leaves: on the             upper surface is 147A, and 195B on the lower surface.         -   Petiole length.—About 1 cm. Petiole diameter: about 1 mm.             Pubescence: stellate. Petiole color: 193B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and arrangement.—Inflorescence is a terminal             cyme about 9 cm in diameter and 4 cm high. Flower buds are             formed on previous season's growth and are present from             summer until they open the following spring. An             inflorescence contains about 175 individual flowers.             Individual flowers retain their color and are showy for             about 1 week. Flowers are self cleaning. Individual flowers             in an inflorescence open over a period of about 1 week.             Therefore, an inflorescence is showy for about 2 weeks.             Bloom period: spring (mid April in Watkinsville, Ga.).             Fragrance: slight sweet odor.         -   Flower bud diameter.—About 3 mm. Flower bud length: about             5 mm. Flower bud shape: oval to oblong. Flower bud color:             155D. Pubescence: stellate.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1 cm. Flower height: about 6 mm.         -   Pedicels.—About 3 mm in length, about 1 mm in width, with             stellate pubescence, and 195B in color.         -   Peduncle.—About 2.7 cm in length, about 2 mm in width, with             stellate pubescence, and 195B in color. -   Petals:     -   -   Quantity.—5 petals per flower.         -   Petal length.—About 6 mm. Petal width: about 5 mm.         -   Petal shape.—Elliptical, with obtuse to rounded apex,             cuneate to acute base, and entire margin. Petal texture:             smooth with no pubescence.         -   Petal color.—At peak bloom the upper and lower surfaces are             155C. -   Stamens:     -   -   Quantity.—5 per flower.         -   Anthers.—About 1 mm in length and about 1 mm in width, and             10B in color.         -   Filaments.—About 2 mm in length and less than 1 mm in width,             and 155C in color.         -   Pollen.—Produced in moderate quantities per flower, and 10B             in color. -   Pistils:     -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—1 per flower, superior.         -   Pistil length.—About 3 mm.         -   Pistil width.—About 1 mm.         -   Pistil color.—144C in color.         -   Stigma.—Usually 1 per pistil, round in shape and 178A in             color.         -   Style.—About 1 mm in length and width, round in shape, and             144C in color.         -   Ovary.—1 per flower, about 2 mm in height and about 1 mm in             width, and 144C in color. -   Fruit:     -   -   Type/appearance.—Drupe, oblong to oval-rounded in shape,             held in clusters.         -   Fruit length.—About 7 mm.         -   Fruit diameter.—About 6 mm.         -   Fruit color.—46A when immature changing to 202A at maturity.         -   Seeds.—About 6 mm in length, about 5 mm in width, 165C in             color, and each drupe contains 1 seed. -   Disease/pest resistance: No specific pest or disease susceptibility     has been observed. 

1. A new and distinct Viburnum plant named ‘PIIVIB-I’, substantially as illustrated and described herein. 